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Dear Parents and Caregivers
Kia ora koutou.
On this the penultimate week of the 2024 school year, there is a sense of anticipation of the upcoming summer break. It is always a busy time of the year; staff are busy with student reports, end-of-year meetings, annual reports, performance reviews, planning for next year, and of course keeping students engaged with classroom learning. A number of special activities also happen at this time of year, and everyone is looking forward to a change of pace in the coming weeks.
There are many celebrations, and the music department is particularly busy with performances for the College’s annual Prizegiving, and the Ballet Academy is in full swing with the first performances of The Nutcracker this afternoon and evening.
Congratulations to all Preparatory School students who performed at the Tūhono Kapa Haka Festival in the Town Hall last weekend with around 80 students on stage. St Andrew’s College was certainly a strong presence, they looked and sounded wonderful. Thank you to teacher Mary Leota, Matua Steve Reid, and all the teachers and parents for your support of this event.
Other events over this last week have included the special Preparatory School Advent Chapel Service, and the success of the Senior Mixed Touch team in winning the Canterbury Championships last weekend. The team travels to Rotorua next week to defend their New Zealand title at this year’s nationals.
Last weekend, the Year 13 Prefects for 2025 spent two days up at Castle Hill to begin their planning for their leadership positions next year. There are many different ways students develop skills and give service as leaders at St Andrew’s College, and I am grateful to and commend all who have done so throughout 2024.
This morning a number of Year 9 and 10 students were recognised in a final assembly with some special awards. A highlight was the Year 9 band Distorted Angels performing Ready to Go by Republica (see details below).
Best wishes to the 1st XI cricket team who are playing at home tomorrow against Christ’s College in the Premier One Day final.
This is the last Friday Rector’s Comment for 2024. A final From the Rector newsletter wraps up the year and will be sent out around Thursday 12 December 2024. I have been doing a lot of reflecting over the last few weeks and have noted that the weekly Rector’s Comment came into being around the time of the earthquakes, where regular communication with our community was so critical. By my reckoning, I have written 494 introductions to Rector’s Comment (13 years x 38 weeks). There is always plenty to report upon. Fridays will never be the same for me!
I hope to see many of you (in the distance) at Prizegiving on Sunday.
Ngā mihi mahana
Christine Leighton
Rector
The final two Year 10 classes returned from Castle Hill this week, having completed their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Qualifying Journey and overnight Te Waka Solo reflection. The Castle Hill instructors have taken 24 groups on their two-day qualifying journey over the last few weeks. This has required groups to plan and organise their own food, equipment, and routes. All groups completed the requirements of the qualifying journey, meaning most Year 10 students are at the stage where they can sign off their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Also, while away at Castle Hill, the Year 10 cohort completed their overnight Solo challenges as part of the Rite Journey/Te Waka programme, one of the key milestones of their year. Despite weather impacting certain camps, the students displayed remarkable resilience, embracing the experience without complaint. This journey challenged students in various ways, from mastering the basics of setting up a bivvy, to finding creative, technology-free ways to keep themselves entertained. It also provided an opportunity for personal reflection, allowing them to assess their growth, identify areas for improvement, and set goals for becoming responsible, resilient, and compassionate young men and women. The Rite Journey/Te Waka programme continues to offer students unique experiences that foster deeper connections with others, a greater appreciation for their circumstances, and a clearer understanding of their potential.
The Year 9 Charity Challenge has concluded. The groups engaged in a range of activities to raise funds for charity, including baking, purchasing second-hand goods and upscaling them, completing chores around home and for others in the community for donations, selling a rugby ball signed by All Blacks Head Coach ‘Razor’ Robertson, and making art out of horseshoes. As a year group, students raised a total of $4,404.15 for Multiple Sclerosis New Zealand, the Cancer Society, the SPCA, Ronald McDonald House, The Champion Centre, Cholmondeley Children’s Centre, CanTeen, Lifeline, Big Brothers and Sisters, Variety – the children’s charity, Women’s Refuge, World Vision, and Full Bellies.
The top three tutor groups 9BMK, 9MHL and 9FTA raised a combined total of $1949 between them – nearly half of the total sum, with 9BMK raising an astonishing $1050. Notable individual efforts were Harrison Mugford (9T) and Leah King (9A) who each raised hundreds of dollars for their chosen charities. The purpose of this challenge was to get students thinking about innovative, collaborative ways of raising funds for those in our community who rely on the help and support of others. This has clearly been a great success and wonderful learning for students.
Year 9 and 10 students gathered for their final assembly of the year today. A number of students were recognised for Service, French Assessments, Speech and Drama, and our Mahia te Aroha and DPR Value Awards. Twice a year students are also acknowledged for the effort and attitude in class which is measured by our Fortnightly Feedback scoring. Today the ten students with the best average over Terms 3 and 4 were presented with the Whakapau Kaha Award. A further ten students in each year were also celebrated for their growth this year, receiving the Whakatipu Award for showing the biggest positive shift in their average from the end of Term 1 to now. The assembly finished with a brilliant performance of Republica's Ready to Go by an all-girl rock band Distorted Angels.
FLICKR >
The 2025 Prefect team enjoyed a very successful annual camp at Castle Hill last weekend, with wonderful weather, food and company. The camp was run by Head of Senior College John Ruge, Year 12 Dean Dayna Stirling and Senior College Administrator Jocelyn Simmons. Students spent time working on their team culture and reputation, strategic planning for next year, and activities to help them get to know each other. Our Prefect teams have been highly successful in recent years, and this time away has been a valuable part of preparing them for their year of service as senior student leaders in our school.
As part of their Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) initiative, two 10ACEE student groups delivered four cartons of fresh vegetables and a carton of muffins to St Ambrose Church, with the vegetables all grown on campus. This initiative is linked to a Level 2 sustainable development assessment which allows the students to investigate the social aspects of sustainability. St Ambrose Church staff were immensely grateful, as they support over 100 families’ food requirements weekly and are 100% reliant on donations. St Andrew’s College commends the students for their efforts to support SDGs 1 – No Poverty and 2 – Zero Hunger.
The Cultural Council have been a very strong team this year, creating events and supporting each other.
To finish the year, the Cultural Captains, Jenna Howell and Xanthe Pearce (both Year 13), organised an ‘Open Stage’ night to celebrate the year together in the Blair Gough Drama Studio. With performances from students in Years 9–13 and a few clips from previous shows shared, it was a fun evening of talent and joy.
The Years 9–10 French students celebrated Christmas in a traditional French way by creating yule logs, which were based on the French Bûche de Noël. In France these are a traditional Christmas dessert, which are available in every bakery around Christmas time, and also baked in many homes. Students brought in their chocolate logs and decorations, spending time during their French period decorating them. The logs were judged on presentation, authenticity, effort and teamwork. The standard was very high and some of these Bûche de Noël could easily rival those found in France.
Term 4 has continued to be a busy time for the International Club. A different activity was held every week, attracting numerous Year 9–10 students. Each time a student took part in an activity they gained another stamp in their International Club passport, and by the end of term three students had fully completed their passport, meaning they took away a prize pack of international treats. The activities covered a range of cultures, including a karate workshop, German Oktoberfest cookie making, Spanish Art – both Picasso-style one-line drawing and Gaudi-style clay mosaics, and an interesting talk about traditional Chinese medicine from Thomas Lin. The last activity for the term was an international lunch. Students who took part were able to sample foods from a number of different cultures, including French brioche, onion pakora, sushi, cheeses, and other treats. The international passport will continue in 2025, and students are encouraged to come along and try a new activity and learn about different cultures.
Eighty-five students from the Preparatory School Kapa Haka participated in the Tūhono Kapa Haka Festival held last Saturday at the Christchurch Town Hall. They sang Te Aroha, Waitaha E and Rona, finishing with the school haka, performing superbly well. The group’s singing, led by Gwendolyn Zhao and Annabelle Laurenson (both Year 6) was sweet and tuneful, the waiata a-ringa actions were performed precisely, the transitions were flawless, and no poi were dropped in the very intricate poi item! The haka, Hato Ānaru, led by Rico Cantwell (Year 8), was energetic, and the pukana performed at the end were fierce! The St Andrew’s group were complimented on their beautiful singing and their creatively designed costumes that reflect our school history and kaupapa. It was an extra special moment for Charlotte Currie and Saskia Fitzgerald (both Year 8), who have performed in every festival since they were in Year 4. The whole auditorium came together to sing the waiata Haere Mai and then en masse perform the local haka – Tahupotiki. Special thanks to Matua Steve for his calm and patient approach when working with our tamariki, and for giving them the guidance to step out on the big stage and perform so confidently.
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On Sunday, the Preparatory School celebrated an Advent service led by Rev. Paul Morrow and Religious Education teacher, Mrs Bridget Roth. Alongside traditional Christmas carols, attendees enjoyed performances by the Cantare and Junior Choirs. The students showed their generosity by bringing toys to donate to the city mission. It was wonderful to share this Advent service with the entire Preparatory School community.
FLICKR >The Year 8 Independent Schools’ Dance was held last Thursday, 21 November, at the Showgate at Riccarton Park. Over 400 students gathered from 10 different schools for a wonderful end of year experience. The DJ had music pumping from the minute the doors opened until the last song of the night, the forever popular Sweet Caroline. Students were served a range of delicious snacks, the photobooth was extremely popular, and a lack of mobile phones at the event ensured children actually spoke to each other. Desperate searches for pens to exchange phone numbers exponentially increased as the night wore on. Geonet registered several small tremors when certain songs were played, as 400 twelve- and thirteen-year-olds bounced their way across the dance floor! When the night was over, and the house lights came on a collective groan fluttered through the crowd as they realised the dance had come to a close.
FLICKR >
This week, students in Years 7–8 have been helping with transplanting seedlings and weeding native plants in preparation for the Eco Action Canterbury planting in 2025. Students and families are invited to help plant out the seedlings on four community planting days each year. Some of the plants are flaxes and grasses, as well as tiny trees that will grow into soaring giants in the years to come. Many of the grasses have been grown from seed and nurtured in our own plant nursery in the Preparatory School.
During Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori, St Andrew’s College Preparatory School learned the waiata Nei Rā Te Kaupapa for our ‘Mahuru Moment’. The waiata speaks of the importance of treasuring and using te reo Māori every day, as we aim to do at St Andrew’s. Inspired by the Black Ferns singing to King Charles, our Year 8 students decided on the spaces around our kura that are most special to them, and each Preparatory School class was filmed singing the waiata in a different place. Our newest five-year-olds and kapa haka leaders begin our film after the playing of the bagpipes and conch shell. Many thanks to Technical Operations Supervisor, Mr Paul Sparkes, and the Secondary School Media students who helped with the recording and editing of the video.
YouTube Video >
The Pre-school tamariki love visiting Rev. Paul Morrow every year to see the Centennial Chapel Christmas tree and bring a gift for the City Mission collection. It is a highlight of the end of year activities for the children, and they love learning about the gift of kindness and spreading joy in the festive season. The Pre-school choose a charity to donate to each year, and this year Foster Hope and Kiwi Christmas books were chosen. The Pre-school teachers spend time talking to the tamariki about inclusiveness, kindness, giving, and looking out for one another. Thank you to Rev. Morrow for teaching our tamariki about what is important at Christmas in the advent season. They all loved his special candle demonstration.
There are now 23 students who have completed and received confirmation of their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award. This week we were delighted to be informed that St Andrew’s College students have achieved the largest number of Gold Awards across all organisations that offer the award in New Zealand.
Samuel Ferguson (Year 13) has been selected as a World Vision Advocacy Ambassador for 2025. He was chosen for the advocacy and leadership skills shown throughout his support of World Vision initiatives at St Andrew’s College. The role of an Advocacy Ambassador is to influence and inspire young adults to take action for legislative change in Aotearoa for the benefit of vulnerable children and their families.
The DELF is an internationally recognised French Language Proficiency Certificate awarded by France's national Ministry of Education. A number of French students from Years 10–13 have put in a lot of extra time and lunchtime tutorials to learn the techniques to pass this examination at various levels. The examination consists of listening, reading, speaking and writing components and it goes over several hours
The students have had lots of support from teacher Angela Marshall, who ran the DELF in previous years. Year 10 students were presented with their badges in assembly this week. The Years 11–13 students had a morning tea earlier in the term to celebrate their achievement. A special mention must be given to Year 13 students, Brooke Hughes and Joseph Ryan, who achieved the B2 certificate, a very prestigious qualification.
On Saturday 23 November, the Mixed touch team competed in and won the Canterbury Secondary Schools Touch Championships at Sheldon Park Belfast, beating Rangiora High School 11–6 in the final. This team now holds the Canterbury, South Island and National Mixed touch titles, and are looking forward to defending their National title in the coming weeks.
Sophie Lampe (Year 10) once again won the U16 Girls’ race (300m swim, 13km bike, 3km run) at the Tri New Zealand Junior Series in Tauranga on Sunday, winning in a time of 43:13.
Holly Hembry (Year 9) competed in 13 events in Auckland over the weekend at the Aotearoa New Zealand Ballroom Dancing Championships, securing 12 first places and one second place.
Last week, three teams represented the College at the New Zealand Secondary Schools South Island Junior Volleyball Championships. Our Junior A girls’ team had a strong start, earning a spot in the top 8 of Division 1. They fought hard throughout the tournament, ultimately falling outside of medal contention to finish in seventh place. The Junior Girls’ B team competed in Division 3, where they played at a high level, often matching up against other schools’ Junior A teams. The team finished 10th, showcasing great team cohesion along the way. Meanwhile, the Junior Boys’ A team qualified for Division 1, a great achievement considering many of the players had only started playing volleyball this term. The boys gained invaluable experience, competing against the top teams from across the South Island. In their final match, they won 2–0 over Logan Park (a team they had lost to the previous day) showing significant improvement in such a short time.
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Our Canoe Polo teams compete against other Canterbury School teams at Lake Rua every Wednesday afternoon. The final matches of the Senior and Junior Term 4 competitions were played this week. Our Senior team started strong, beating Shirley Boys’ High School 4–2 to gain a place in the semi-finals, where they faced a strong team from Cashmere High School, winning 4–1. They then played a combined team in the final, which went to five minutes of extra play, during which time the Lincoln/Rolleston/Hillmorton team scored a golden goal. A combined team cannot win the tournament, so the victory went to St Andrew’s College. Meanwhile our Junior combined team (with a player from Christ’s College) lost out on a place in the final, but convincingly beat Te Aratai College 7–0, to finish third in the tournament.
Three St Andrew’s basketball teams competed in the Basketball New Zealand 3x3 Junior Cup last weekend. The Junior Girls’ Blue team won the title in convincing fashion. Maniah Taefu and Rosie Gaffaney (both Year 10) finished 1–2 in scoring, leading the team through the tournament without a loss. The Junior Boys’ Blue team won six games and lost three by a combined total of five points, to finish fifth. Oliver Kirk (Year 10) received the title for Best Scorer. The Junior Girls’ White team – consisting of Year 9 akōnga – came third equal. Sophie Schouten (Year 9) was the tournament's third-leading scorer.
On Monday and Tuesday, the Preparatory School 1st XI took part in a two-day Christchurch Junior Cricket Association (CJCA) cricket festival at Hagley Park. The team played four games of 20/20 cricket over the two days, playing some outstanding cricket at times. They scored over 700 runs from 80 overs of batting! They won three of the games played, losing one by a couple or runs in a cracking game of cricket against a country team. The team were so absorbed in the game, they turned down the opportunity to meet Ben Stokes so they could continue to practice their game skills.
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On Wednesday 27 November, 21 Preparatory School students competed at the Canterbury Primary Athletics event held at Ngā Puna Wai. To qualify for the Canterbury Athletics event is a huge accomplishment in itself, so congratulations to all our student athletes. The students showed great spirit and represented the College with respect.
See the full list of results by clicking here.
Please see the following results from our Years 4–8 Athletic Sports Day. Congratulations to all of our Year Group Champions, who will be acknowledged at our end-of-year assembly. Congratulations to our new record holders, a great accomplishment achieved by these student athletes.
Records and Year Group Champions >
Three students competed at the South Island Invitational Tennis Championships earlier in the week. All players invited are considered to be the best for their age in their respective provinces.
Sabine Waghorn (Year 8) was the Runner Up, Kaia Hartstonge (Year 8) came sixth, and Elina Wang (Year 7) finished eighth overall. Sabine and Kaia were also semi-finalists in the Girls' doubles.
Following the Christchurch Junior Cricket Association (CJCA) cricket festival at Hagley Park,
Joshua Stewart (Year 8) and Hayden Brown (Year 8) have been selected to play cricket for the CJCA representative team in the Year 8 Blenheim festival in January 2025.
Thomas Hopping (Year 7) was also selected to play cricket for the CJCA representative team, at the Year 7 festival in Ashburton in 2025.
Three Old Collegians will be celebrated at the 34th Trillian Trust Māori Sports Awards this Saturday in Mount Maunganui. Olivia Brett (OC 2019, Ngāpuhi) has been nominated for Senior Māori Sportswoman of the Year after winning the Gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics in canoeing. Taiko Torepe-Ormsby (OC 2021, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Maniapoto) will be recognised for his participation in the 50m freestyle swimming event at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Riki Ellison (OC 1976, Ngāi Tahu) will be inducted into the Māori Sports Hall of Fame. Riki made history as the first New Zealander to play in the NFL and win a Super Bowl.
On Monday, golfers Rod McKenzie (OC 1965), Chris Timbs (OC 1990), Jonathan Wells (OC 1987) and Damon Smith (OC 1992) proudly represented St Andrew's College Old Collegians in the 58th Annual Strowan Rose Bowl Tournament at Christchurch Golf Club, playing against seven alumni teams, including Christchurch Boys' High School, Timaru Boys' High School, Otago Boys' High School, St Bede's College, and Darfield High School. The team secured an impressive second place, just behind Christ's College. Congratulations to Damon for winning both the closest to the pin and longest drive.
The Strowan Rose Bowl Tournament, established by St Andrew's College in 1967, has a rich history. The inaugural trophy was won by Xavier College.
Good luck to all students who are representing the College over the weekend in sports and cultural activities including:
This year the St Andrew’s College Ballet Academy proudly presents The Nutcracker. The Nutcracker is a timeless holiday classic and one of the most beloved ballets around the world, enchanting audiences with its magical storytelling and unforgettable music. Set on Christmas Eve, the story begins at a festive holiday party where young Clara receives a special gift—a nutcracker doll. That night, as the clock strikes midnight, Clara is swept into an enchanting adventure where the Nutcracker comes to life, leading her on a journey through a battle with the Rat King and into the dazzling Land of Sweets. With its blend of joy, wonder, and fantasy, The Nutcracker captures the magic of the holiday season, making it a cherished tradition for audiences young and old. We hope you enjoy the beauty, grace, and excitement of this ballet, which continues to inspire and delight with its timeless charm.
When: Friday 29 – Saturday 30 November 2024 (four performances)
Times: 6.30pm–8.10pm (Friday), 1.30pm–3.10pm and 4.00pm–5.40pm (Saturday)
Where: Gough Family Theatre – Ngā Toi Performing Arts Centre
Tickets: Adult $35.00 | Student $20.00 (student ID may be requested on entry)
The Christmas Eve Chapel Service will take place on Tuesday 24 December at 6.00pm in the Centennial Chapel. Everyone is welcome to this family-friendly service.
All 2024 photographs are now available to purchase online:
Details of how to order the photographs can be found on our website using the button below and you will need to log into StACNet using your St Andrew's College login.
If you have any questions relating to this service, please email photography@stac.school.nz
For any illness, students should stay home if unwell. Any student should also feel free to wear a mask if they wish to do so while at school.
For any absence, whether ill-health (including COVID-19) or otherwise, the College’s preferred platform for reporting this is via our online form which can be found at the button below:
If you are not able to report your child's absence using the online form, please report their absence via the relevant email address below. If you cannot get through to us via the form or email, please call our attendance line on +64 3 940 2031 (term time only).
The Community Business Directory is on our website and represents over 100 parent businesses. Please take a look at how many businesses you can support locally.
The St Andrew's College Community Business Directory >
If you would still like to register your business, complete the following form.
Community Business Directory Registration >
For a full list of upcoming school events, please refer to the fixtures page on StACNet.
